Prandelli blasts Rangers' tactics

Cesare Prandelli was proud of his team

Fiorentina coach Cesare Prandelli said Rangers did not deserve to reach the Uefa Cup final.

"We have to accept it," he said after his side were knocked out on penalties. "It has been a beautiful night and it could have ended better for us.

"I have to thank my players, who kept on fighting until the last minute.

"A team that has renounced to play has won, football is like this. Football sometimes awards teams that don't deserve it."

The Italian club dominated the game and had a host of chances to win the tie in normal time.

But they were unable to break the deadlock and Rangers were 4-2 winners on spot-kicks, to leave Prandelli frustrated at the outcome.

It's been a cursed tie Fiorentina midfielder Fabio Liverani

He added: "This great adventure is over and we have to accept the result even if we surely deserved more.

"We gave everything we had trying to score until the last minute of extra-time.

"I'm sure we deserved to reach the final. Rangers came here just to stop us playing our best football and got the result they wanted.

"I have nothing to say to my players. The game would have been more entertaining if we were facing a team ready to play a bit more."

The club's president, Andrea Della Valle, was just as critical of Walter Smith's side, saying: "Rangers played the whole match with the objective of going to penalties, and they succeeded."

MY SPORT: DEBATE Give your reaction to the result in Florence

Midfielder Fabio Liverani, who missed in the shoot-out, believes Fiorentina were destined to miss out on the final.

"It's been a cursed tie," said Liverani. "Throughout the match I believed that sooner or later the goal would come, but we didn't succeed.

"I'm personally disappointed to have missed the penalty. The crowd have been great though, I must thank them."

Rangers will face Zenit St Petersburg, who are coached by former Light Blues boss Dick Advocaat, in the final at the City of Manchester Stadium on 14 May.